While the modern world churns t there is a place off Houston’s famed Wertheimer Drive where life slows down, even stops. That is of course except for once a year when the highly acclaimed State of Grace Restaurant throws its annual birthday party that benefits their hometown community – this year the Houston Food Bank’s Hurricane Harvey relief effort and the Gulf Seafood Foundation’s hurricane relief effort for fishermen.

Through the efforts of Gulf Seafood Foundation Board Member Raz Halili of Prestige Oysters, who collaborated with State of Grace for the silent auction, and Adity Saini of Houston’s BBVA Compass Bank who donated autographed sports memorabilia, more than $1300 was raised during the Sunday Oct. 29th event. The proceeds will be distributed by the Gulf Seafood Foundation to assist fishermen across the Gulf affected by the two hurricanes.

The celebration kicked off with an array of highly acclaimed guest chefs competing in an oyster shucking competition. Prestige Oysters and Brent Zirlott of Alabama’s Murder Point Oysters provided the Gulf bivalve molluscs for the seven shucking chefs that included: